It’s never too early to look at the 2022 fantasy football landscape. Position rankings are fluid, of course, and the addition of this year’s crop of rookies will move the needle between now and the time your league holds its draft. But it’s worth checking in on where the Chicago Bears’ skill players are currently ranked (according to Fantasy Pros).
QB Justin Fields
The Bears’ second-year quarterback is currently QB17 and the 115th overall player. To be honest, that’s a little higher than I was expecting. He’s a high-end QB2 to begin the fantasy football season and his upside is higher than any quarterback in that range. Fields has the talent to become a top-five fantasy quarterback in 2022, making him one of this year’s potential league-winning picks.
RB David Montgomery
Montgomery ranks 16th among running backs (an RB2 in fantasy football) and the 32nd overall player. His ranking slots him as a mid-third-round pick in 12-team leagues, which is fair after his statistical regression in 2021. His knee injury played a big part in his stat sheet being underwhelming, not to mention former head coach Matt Nagy’s inability to commit to the running game. Montgomery is slated to be the Bears’ bell cow on offense, which should result in a higher production rate than would be expected from a mid-third-rounder.
WR Darnell Mooney
Mooney is WR31 and the 70th overall player. Like Montgomery, Mooney’s ranking places him in fantasy football starting lineups as a WR3 in 12-team leagues. After enjoying his first 1,000-yard season as a pro, Mooney spent a portion of the offseason working out with Fields in Atlanta. There’s a lot to like in Mooney’s game and savvy fantasy owners will draft him in the seventh round instead of a player like Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McClaurin two rounds earlier.
TE Cole Kmet
Kmet has been a bit of a disappointment as a receiver in Chicago since joining the Bears as a second-round pick in 2020. Like Montgomery, he’s been victimized by a poor offensive game plan, and with the lack of much-receiving help outside of Mooney, there’s a chance his breakout is coming in 2022. But his fantasy football rankings are less optimistic. Kmet ranks 18th among tight ends and is No. 140 overall. He’s entrenched as a TE2.
RB Khalil Herbert
Herbert is a must-have for Montgomery fantasy managers in 2022. He proved as a rookie in 2021 that he has high-end starter’s upside. Herbert is a great draft and stash option for dynasty owners with Montgomery entering the final year of his contract. However, the fantasy football community isn’t expecting much from him in 2022, as he currently ranks as RB59 and No. 193 overall.
WR Byron Pringle
One of the new faces on offense for the Bears this season is Pringle, who is all but assured a starting job with the state of Chicago’s wide receiver depth chart. And while Pringle flashed some playmaking ability with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021, he doesn’t rank high among fantasy managers. As we march into the summer months, Pringle is currently WR83 and No. 234 overall.
